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ASHBURTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Borough Council was hold at the Council’s Chambers last night. Present—His Worship the Mayor (presiding), Messrs. Weymouth Roberts, George M. Robinson,_ D. Williamson, G. H. St. Hill, R. Friedlander, and G. Parkin. mayor’s statement. His Worship, in giving, an analysis of the business which would bo brought before the meeting, said he had had an interview with the County Council with reference to the amount which was duo from the Longbeach Road Board, and it had been decided that he should make out a return of lands sold within the Borough, but he did not intend to leave the Longbeach Road Board out of the question, because if no satisfactory arrangement con'd bo come to with the County Council, they should certainly make the claim on the Longbeach Road Board. From a return which he was compiling, he calculated that the amount which would be due to the Council would be about the same as that which they had claimed from the Longbeach Road Board. Referring to the waterworks contract, he thought the work was not going on as satisfactorily as possible,’ but the matter would be brought before them in the Surveyor s report. The balance in the bank u as L 317 17s. 7d., and the amount of rates paid in since last meeting was L 32. His Worship thought the manner in which the rates were being paid up was matter for congratulation. The Longbeach Road Board had paid the subsidy of L 42 9s. lid due by that body to the Council. CORRESPONDENCE. An application was made by Mr. R. W. Shearman to remove a culvert opposite his premises to a more convenient place. Referred to Works Committee. A letter was read from Messrs. Mitchell and Turner, drawing the Council’s attention to the very rough and unsatisfactory state of the footpath opposite their premises. Some conversation took place on the matter, one Councillor recommending that Mitchell and Turner be asked to contribute half the cost. Referred to Works Committee. THE LAND SOLD WITHIN THE BOROUGH. From E. S. Liverserge, Survey office, Christchurch, forwarding a return of the lands sold within the borough. ' Mr. Parkin proposed that the cost of 1 the return —five guineas—be paid, as it was a most valuable document. Mr. St. Hill, in seconding the motion, ' wished to bear testimony to the very hearty way in which the Mayor was work- ; ing for and in the interests of the borough. ■ Hnnself and fellow Councillors could not fail to be impressed with the action which i his Worship took in the County Council. • The Mayor in putting the motion, said i he was very sorry that press of private , business prevented him from doing mere for the Council than he was doing. ; The motion was carried. i WATER-PIPES COMMITTEE. s The Water-Pipes Committee reported as follows : ; The Committee, appointed to consider ; the proposition of the Council as to the r advisability of disposing of the water- - pipes at present held by the Council, i- having met, beg to submit the following recommendation to the Council The » Committee recommend the Council to . appo'nt a deputation to wait upon the > County Council to endeavor to obtain r their consent to the sale of the pipes. If > their consent is obtained, a portion of the money derived from the sale should be ; applied towards completing the water ' supply and drainage scheme now in hand. The balance, if any, to be placed in the ! bank, the interest to be added to the ! principal until the whole can be judi- ! ciously expended for the purposes originally intended. The Mayor thought it was unnecessary to send a deputation to the County Council, I as the Chairman and himself were all that , were necessary to give effect to the Borough 5 Council’s wishes. i Mr. Williamson said the reference to k the deputation had inadvertently crept into the report, as he did not think that , such was the Committee’s opinion in the I matter. Mr. St. Hill moved the adoption of the report, being thoroughly convinced of the soundness of the recommendations. Mr. Friedlander seconded, and would 5 add to the motion—“ That the members i of the Pipes Committee he a deputation 3 to interview the Chairman of the County I Council on the matter, as recommended I by the report.” ’ An amendment was proposed by, Mr. > Williamson, and seconded by Mr. Robin - r S on—“ That the matter of interviewing , the County Council Chairman be left in s the .hands of the Mayor.” This was l carried, and the report was adopted. engineers’ report. I The Borough Engineers reported as folk lows ; : Water Supply. —Neither of the con- • tracts are actually completed, but there is ’ not much remaining to be done. What - there is principally consists in finishing - off portions of the work. We would rel commend that the north-west side of the ■ outfall drain be fenced from Burnett i street to the terrace, the hank formed of the stuff thrown out not proving to be > sufficient protection. > Shingling East street. —We have been ■ waiting for rain before commencing this work, but have given the contractors ; notice to commence delivering the shingle [ required for Baring square at once. : Concrete Channelling and Kerhing. —The first instalment of fifty sacks of cement has ■ been delivered, and the contractor has commenced operations. The Labor Gang have been engaged in i forming the footpath in Tancrod street, shifting and fixing culverts and gratings, side channellings, &c. The Tailored street footpath is being shingled. We have arranged for the supply of this shingle at Is. 3d. per yard. Immigration Cottages, —One of these cottages on the north-west Belt requires the roof and chimney to be: e paired. The overseer report it untenantable in its present state. Lamps. —The lamp-post at the corner of Tancred and East streets has been broken. There are none remaining in the yard to replace it. As two or more maybe shortly required, it will be for the Council to determine whether one or more should be obtained. THE WATERWORKS CONTRACT. Mr. Fooks said with reference to the non-completion of this work, that what was principally to do was the finishing off. In the river bed the work was unsatisfactorily done. The contractor did not seem to understand how much labor was required to do the job. In reply to Mr. St. Hill, tho Engineer said that the water could be brought in, in three or four days, if the contractor were energetic in the matter. Mr. St. Hill moved that the contractor be allowed a week to finish the work, but if it were not done by that time the Council would finish it at the contractor’s expense and inflict the penalty for nonfulflln.ent. Mr. Robinson seconded, and the motion was carried. OUTFALL DRAIN. His Worship said that if something were not done with reference to the outfall drain, the property in the neighborhood would be lessened in value, and in its present state it was dangerous. _ The Council should take into consideration the recommendation of fencing it in, and he would suggest that the Engineer be requested to supply plans and estimated cost of putting down a concrete culvert, as it was just possible children might crawl under the fence and fall into the drain. It was decided that the Mayor’s suggestion

bo acted upon, the matter of fencing to be s left in the Engineers’ hands. ! SHINGLING EAST STREET. * Tito Engineers’action in this matter wa * confirmed. ■ ‘ CONCRETE CHANNELLING. In speaking to this matter, Mr; St. Hill ! thought the Enginers might be instructed ■ to ask contractors of the Council to consider the advisableness of giving work to married men in preference to single ones during these hard times. Of course there could be no compulsion in the matter, but he thought it might not be out of place to • place this proposal -under the notice of the contractors. IMMIGRATION COTTAGES. His Worship thought if something were not done with these cottages it would b 3 better to give them away, as the amount which was spent in repairing them was more than what they brought in in rent. They got about LlO a year rent for one of them, and it would take about L3O to repair it. Moved by Mr. Friedlander and seconded by Mr. St. Hill—“ That no more money be spent on the cottages on the Wert Town Belt.” Carried. Mr. St. Hill moved—“ That the cottages be sold, and the matter be left in the hands of the Works Committee.” Mr. Parkin seconded the motion, and it was carried. LAMPS. Mr. St. Hill thought that notice should be taken of when the lamp was broken, and how long it remained unlit, because he thought they should not be called upon to pay for a lamp which was not used. His Worship said that Messrs. Marsh and Groves Would be called upon to replace the lamp and lamp-post which had been'broken by their horse and trap. Mr. 'Robinson suggested that half-a-dozen lamp-posts should be obtained, as there was a chance of them getting a number cheaper in proportion than one. The Clerk was instructed to write to Messrs Scott Bros., asking the price of one up to six lamp-posts, and further action in the matter was left in the hands of the Mayor. ADVERTISING. Mr. St. Hill wished to know whether the advertisement with reference to the By-laws had been published in the Mail ; he "knew that it appeared in the Herald, and thought that it should also appear in the morning paper, as it was so important. ■;-|The Clerk replied that the advertising of the By-laws was inserted by Mr. Crisp, and it was entirely in his hands. His Worship thought that each paper should receive a fair share of the Borough’s advertising, without increasing the expense. FOOTPATHS. Mr. Parkin moved and Mr. Robinson seconded, that the footpath from the Triangle to Baldwin’s Hotel be formed. Carried. FINANCES. His Worship stated that it would be necessary to take into consideration at the Council’s next meeting, the state of the Borough’s finances, and the Clerk be instructed to bring up a balance sheet of their assets and liabilities at the next meeting. Mr. St. Hill thought a lighting rate should be levied, as he objected to the cost of lighting the streets out of the rates. A COMPLAINT. The Mayor said he was very sorry that when he had anything to say against Mr. Bullock, he was always absent. Carters . going to .Mr. Bullock’s store were in the habit of crossing the footpaths near the Templar Hall, and thus cutting them up. Mr, Parkin thought another Councillor was renting the store from Mr. Bullock, and the latter gentleman was hardly to blame in the matter. ACCOUNTS, were passed for payment, and on the PAY-SHEET being brought up, his Worship said that he was not one of those who were in favor of reducing men’s wages, but. considering the times, and the number of men out of employment who were willing to work at a reduced rate, the Council’s workmen should be asked to work at a shilling per day less. The other Councillors expressed themselves in a similar strain. Mr. St. Hill suggested that the Engineers be instructed to employ married men in preference to single men in the Council’s work, as single men could go over the country without much inconvenience, if they were out of work, while a married man was tied to the township. It was decided with reference to the Council’s carting, that the present man be asked to take a reduction in his present wages. The pay sheet was passed, and the Council .adjourned.

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